IT IS TIME FOR A HUMBOLDT BAY TRAIL! STOP THE NORTH COAST RAIL AUTHORITY FROM ‘RAILROADING’ OUR RIGHT TO PUBLIC ACCESS!

It has been nearly two decades since trains have run along Humboldt Bay and feasibility studies have shown it will never return.

Public access to OUR public resources is a right of all Californians. Our community is united in our resolve to have safe public trails for recreation and multi-modal transportation in the Humboldt Bay region.

For years, the NCRA, an agency created to serve the public, has prevented the implementation of this community-based vision for political and financial reasons.

Railbanking the railroad right-of-way north of Eureka will open the way for the development of a safe multi-modal trail between the two biggest population centers around the Bay for use by walkers, bike commuters, recreational cyclists, joggers, etc.

Railbanking the railroad right-of-way will serve as an appropriate next step in the development of a tourist train between Samoa and Arcata and museum in Samoa. Both the multi-modal trail and a tourist train/museum will be attractive to tourists.

This represents a more affordable solution (this is not the excessively expensive rail with trail option between Eureka and Arcata) that will allow the community to benefit from this asset rather than have the railroad right-of-way slowly decay.

A multi-modal trail has proven health benefits because it encourages individuals to get out, to exercise, to bike commute, etc.

Driving up Highway 101 through Mendocino County will bring you past a newish sign that boasts local “Wilderness, Waves [and] Wineries.” So funny, because of that other “W” word Mendocino is known for, but failed to make the list.

Humboldt County could do better.

With a small addition to an existing sign on the Humboldt/Mendocino border, we Northerners could show our neighbor how to be frank, fearless and factual when it comes to signage.

Humboldt joins Georgia, North Carolina and El Dorado County (among others) as places where Republicans are raving about a wicked plot to make people embrace ideas like sustainable growth and non-motorized transportation.

From the article:

Agenda 21 is right now an important issue that is being passionately debated in many state legislatures around the country, but it’s mostly been ignored by our national leaders and the press. It is being ignored because it is an insane conspiracy theory… [Agenda 21] makes your standard calls for sustainable growth — energy conservation and all that. “Principle 1: Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.”

But to some conservatives, all that do-gooder speak is actually just a cover for something much more sinister: the creation of a new one world government.

In Eureka, the lunacy started early this month with an op-ed by Kay Backer, spokeswoman for local Republican big shot Rob Arkley. Since then, failed Humboldt County Supervisor candidate Karen Brooks has taken up the bell-ringing in spirited wave of public comments and opinion pieces.

Not long ago Arkley and friends were trying to convince you that his proposed big box mall was “smart growth.” Perhaps they were possessed by the devil. Or at least the U.N.

The local American Civil Liberties Union will hold a debate on Civil Liberties between candidates for Humboldt County Supervisor (District 1) on Friday, May 25th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Access Humboldt Channel 11 will air the debate live.

It’s rare, it’s cool, it’s going to get strangely dark and quiet between 6:24 – 6:29 pm when the moon passes directly in front of the sun — and Humboldt County will have a front row seat.

Unlike nighttime astronomical events, you don’t need to climb a mountain for best viewing, but you might not want to be standing in a grove of tall redwoods if you want to “see” it.

But! Don’t look directly at it, you hear? Staring at the sun is bad for the peepers. The moon will only cover some 96% of the sun, leaving enough solar rays to damage your sight organs. Make sure to explain that to the kids.

To view the eclipse, punch a hole in a piece of paper and project the image onto the ground or other flat object. You could also procure some fancy dark glasses out there if you can’t stop yourself from looking away.